Heel of shoes worn by men, women, and children, or by animals



Feb. 8, 1944. F. GREENBERG HEELS OF SHOES WORN BY MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, OR BY ANIMALS Filed June 50, 1943 1N VENTOR. Fran/Z raen6 Patented Feb. 8, 1944 HEEL OF SHOES WORN BY MEN, WOMEN, AND' CHILDREN, OR BY ANIMALS Frank Greenberg, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Harry Malter, New York, N. Y.

Application June 30, 1943, Serial No. 492,792

" 4'Cla'ims.

This invention relates to heels for shoes, and more particularly to heels adapted to be attached, detached or interchanged by the shoe owner without requiring the services of a shoe repair man or the employment of specialtools.

shoes, but each heel replacement requires the services of a shoe repair man who is not always available.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a detachable heel construction by means of which a heel can be instantly attached or detached without requiring any skill or any more tools than an ordinary screw-driver. Through such instantaneous attachment of the heels it will be obvious that when a pair of heels becomes worn down toward one side, the heels can be given increased life by being shifted from one shoe to the other. Moreover, when a new pair of heels is to be fitted, such fitment can be done by the shoe owner, or several pairs of heels can be sold with each pair of shoes so that the shoe buyer will be supplied'with suificient heels to last for the life of the shoes. Many other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, as the description of the invention proceeds. v w I More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a detachable heel construction in which the fixed heel part of a shoe will be provided with a plurality of embedded and concealed fastener elements and with openings extending through said heel part permitting access to said fastener elements, and the detachable heel part will be provided with stud portions entrant through said openings to detachably, but securely, engage the fastener elements to attach the detachable heel part in place.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown, Fig. 1 is a view of the under face of a detachable heel construction, made in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the bottom face of the fixed heel part, with a portion thereof being broken away to disclose one of the fastener elements; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the detachable heel part, showing the stud fastener elements arising therefrom; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4. of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 5 is a sectional View through a part of the detachable heel, showing the construction of one of the stud fasteners.

In the drawing, the heel construction is shown as applied to a shoe of conventional form, a portion thereof being indicated at I, and to which is secured a fixed heel part 2 made in the usual manner and thus composed of a number of layers or plies 5 which may be of leather or of any other suitable material commonly used in shoe construction.

The detachable heel portion is shown at 3, and the same may be made of rubber, leather, composition, or any other suitable material, and it is adapted to be securely, yet firmly attached to the under face of the fixed heel part 2 by the interlock of suitable fastening elements to be described.

Provided between the layers of the fixed heel part 2, is a plurality of spaced recesses or pockets 6, and in each of these pockets or recesses is located a fastening element, consisting of a pair of spaced posts or pins I, connected by a substantially S-shaped spring wire 8. Leading into each of the recesses or pockets 6 is an opening or hole Ill, which extends through the bottom layer or ply of the fixed heel portion, and the central part 9 of the resilient wire 8 extends across said opening Ill and is therefore accessible for engagement by one of the studs I2 carried by the removable heel portion 3.

The heel portion 3 is provided with a plurality of spaced studs I2 corresponding in number to the spring wires 8. Each of the studs I2 has a slotted head I3 and each stud is manually rotative in a sleeve II anchored or embedded in the heel portion 3, or otherwise fixedly secured therein. It will be observed that the studs I2 and the anchorages I I thereof are located toward the upper face of the heel portion 3 and that a considerable part of the length of each of the studs arises from said face so that when the detachable heel part 3 is placed with said face disposed against the lower surface of the fixed heel part 2, the studs will enter through the openings Ill for interlocking engagement with the spring wires 8 to securely attach the detachable heel portion 3 to the fixed heel part 2.

Each of the studs I2 is transversely lotted at its outer end, as indicated at I5, and said end is so shaped as to provide two oppositely-disposed hook members I6 and I! which engage over the bottom of the part 2 so that the studs l2 will" pass through the openings l0. and the central portions 9 of the wires 8 will enter. the trans.-

verse slots IS in the ends of thestuds IL By means of a screw driver inserted in each open.-

ing l4, each stud is rotated slightly to cause the oppositely-disposed hooked ends l6. and I1 toride over the wire so that the wire will be held. under the hooks and located in the transverse opening L8 in the stud, The tension of the wireholds the studs against rotative movement, andalso holds the heel part 3 firmly against the bottom of. the fixed heel part and the, fastener parts, held in. interlocked position indefinitely. To. detach the heel part 3, the studs l2 are rotated until the wires are aligned with. the slots l5, whereupon the heel portion; 3. can be lifted away.

The advantages of the construction described will be readily appreciated. When. a heel. becomes worn or run down, and particularly towardone side, it. may be instantly detached and exchanged with the heel on the other shoe. so that as a result, each heel will have. a greatly extended useful life. Since the. heels, can. be attached and detached by the wearer, andwithout. requiring the services or. tools of the, repair man, shoe manufacturers can supply several sets of. heels with each pair of shoes and the replacement of worn heels becomes. the work of buta moment.

While I have described the structure for use in connection with the attachment of heels to shoes for human wear, shoes of animals may be attached in the same manner. Additionally,.soles aswell as heel parts may also be applied. These and. other embodiments of the invention arecontemplated by the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In a detachable heel construction, a fixed heel part, a removable heel part having rotatable studs provided with heads accessible from the outer face of the removable heel part to permit of manualrotation of said studs, the fixed heel part having recesses opening at the face of, said part, spaced pins adjacent to said recesses, a-fiexible wire extending across the recess and connecting the spaced pins, and reversely extending arcuate slots provided in the studs for interlocking engagement with the wires when the studs are entered into the recesses and. turned rotatively within the same.

2. In a detachable heel construction, a fixed heel. portion. composed. of. a.v plurality of layers havin several spaced pockets formed between them, a pair of spaced pins located in each pocket, a spring wire extending across the pocket and attached at its ends to the pins, said fixed heel portioirhaving an opening extending from each pocket: and through its outer layer, a removable heelpart for fitment. over the outer face of the fixed'hejel part, said' removable heel part having spaced rotatable studs for entry through said openings, each of. the studs having a transverse slot/and oppositely extending hooked ends whereby a wire will enter said slot when the stud enters one ofrth'e openingsrand. the hooked parts. of the studwillbe-projected over the wireand: caused tonbe locked;ther.eover-when the stud; is manually rotated.

3.. A. detachable. heel: construction comprising, arfixed heel portion provided with a plurality of spaced. recesses, a pair. of spaced pins located in saidrecess, a resilient wire-connecting said pin, the-heelyparthaving a hole leading from said recess through the outer face of said heel part,,said wireextending, crosswisely of the hole, adetachable'heel part having a plurality of rotatable studs secured in. it and projecting from one of its faces, each of said studs being transversely slottedandformed withreversely hooked ends, each stud-being entrant through one of the holes to bring its slot in engagement with the wire extending across. the hole, whereby said stud, when rotated, wi11 have its hooked ends engaged over saidwine, and, the detchable heel part secured over the, fixed heel part by, such interengagement of the studsandwires.

4. In. a detachable, heel construction, a fixed heelpart on a. shoe, a removable heel part for attachment. thereover, oneof. the heel. parts having several rotatablestuds provided. with access sible heads, to permit manual. rotation of said studs, the secondheelparthaving recesses opening; at. one of its faces, a flexible wire. mounted to. extend. across each. recess, the studs: each baringa slot andahook. portion on each sideof the slot, whereby the stud,. upon entering, a recess, willcause the. wire to. enter the slot and. by manual rotationof the stud the hook portions thereof will become engaged over the wire.

FRANK GREENBERG. 

